Corn processing

ABSTRACT

A commercial-scale method for processing corn grain includes the steps of flaking corn grain having a total oil content of at least about 8% and extracting a corn oil from the flaked corn grain. Such a method can be effectuated by processing the high oil corn grain using methods and equipment typically used to process soybeans and other similar oilseed types. In this way, processing plants that flake oilseeds can be used to extract corn oil from corn.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to processing corn. In particular, theinvention relates to processing corn to produce a corn oil and/or a mealproduct.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Corn, Zea mays L., is grown for many reasons including its use infood and industrial applications. Corn oil is one of many usefulproducts derived from corn. Commercial processing plants utilizingconventional methods for extracting corn oil typically separate the cornseed into its component parts, e.g., endosperm, germ, tipcap, andpericarp, and then extract corn oil from the corn germ fraction.

[0003] Although the precise processing steps and types of equipment varysomewhat from plant to plant, commercial corn processing can beclassified as either a wet milling or dry milling process. Overall, wetmilling is a sophisticated process involving many steps. When isolatingthe corn oil fraction, corn seed is first steeped in a water/sulfurdioxide (SO₂) mixture at an elevated temperature and then passed throughdegerminating mills to separate out the corn germ. The wet milled germcontains about 50% oil, which is then washed and dried.

[0004] Dry milling physically separates the germ and pericarp from therest of the corn seed. Dry milling can include tempering the seed byadding water followed by drying, cooling, grinding, sifting andaspirating the seed. Degermination is accomplished using a Bealldegerminator (TM), impact mills, granulators or other similardegerminating equipment. The oil content of dry milled germ ranges fromabout 18% to about 27% oil.

[0005] Corn oil is extracted from wet milled or dry milled germ usingphysical expellers, solvent extractors, or a combination of both. Wetmilled germ typically undergoes a two-step extraction because completeoil extraction is often unattainable using a single extraction.

[0006] It is also conventional practice to condition corn germ beforeoil extraction by adding moisture and heating the germ to about 100° C.Conditioning facilitates complete oil extraction. Heating corn seed orgerm before or during the extraction, however, can detrimentally affectoil quality.

[0007] Corn oil extracted using wet milling methods has a dark color andrequires additional processing to achieve a useful oil. Dry millingmethods tend to produce a better quality oil. Nevertheless, both dry andwet milling processes have drawbacks that include high energy costs,expensive equipment, high maintenance costs, and variable oil quality.Other corn oil recovery methods have been attempted, but most have notproven to be commercially feasible. Thus, there exists a need forimproved methods that alleviate one or more of the drawbacks associatedwith conventional corn oil recovery methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] In one aspect, the invention features a commercial-scale methodfor processing corn grain that includes the steps of flaking corn grain,and extracting an oil from the flaked corn grain. The corn grain shouldhave an elevated total oil content of at least about 8%. The cornprocessing method may be effective for producing corn oil and corn mealshaving defined characteristics.

[0009] In one embodiment, the corn grain has a total oil content of atleast about 14%. In alternative embodiments, the corn grain has a totaloil content of at least about 12%, at least about 10%, or from about 12%to about 30%.

[0010] In another embodiment, the corn grain being flaked is whole corngrain. In another embodiment, the corn grain is cracked corn grain.

[0011] In another embodiment, the method of processing corn includes anextracting step wherein the flaked corn grain is pressed to extract anoil. Alternatively, the extraction step exposes the flaked corn grain tosolvent-based oil extraction. Solvents used to extract miscible orsoluble substances from the flaked grain include hexane, n-hexane,isopropyl alcohol, and supercritical carbon dioxide. Extracting stepscan produce a miscella and a corn meal.

[0012] In another embodiment, the corn meal resulting from cornprocessing has a fiber content of about 3%, a starch content of about65%, and a protein content of about 14%, at a moisture content of about10%. In alternative embodiments, a subset of the fiber content, starchcontent, and protein content are measured in the resulting meal. Forexample, a corn meal may have a fiber content of about 3%, and a proteincontent of about 14%, at a moisture content of about 10%.

[0013] In another embodiment, miscella is desolventized to produce acorn oil. The corn oil may be further refined. The corn oil may have aphosphorous content of less than about 500 parts per million, a freefatty acid content of less than about 0.3%, and/or a neutral oil loss ofless than about 2%.

[0014] In another embodiment, the corn oil has a light yellow color. Thecolor of the corn oil may have yellow and red colors. The yellow colorvalues may range from about 60 to about 70 and red color values mayrange from about 7 to about 10, as determined by American Oil andChemical Society method Cc 13b-93.

[0015] In another embodiment, the corn processing method is effectivefor processing at least about 100 tons of corn per day or for processingfrom about 100 tons of corn per day to about 3,000 tons of corn per day.

[0016] In another aspect, the invention features a method of sellingcorn seed that includes the offering corn seed for sale, or actuallyselling corn seed, wherein the corn seed can produce corn grain having atotal oil content of at least about 8% and advertising that the corngrain may be processed by flaking the corn grain. In one embodiment, themethod includes advertising that the flaking of the corn grain iseffective for producing a corn oil.

[0017] In another aspect, the invention features a method for marketingcorn seed that includes making, using, selling offering for sale, orotherwise providing corn seed wherein the corn seed can produce corngrain having a total oil content of at least about 8% and advertisingthat the corn grain may be processed by flaking the corn grain. In oneembodiment, the method includes advertising that the flaking of the corngrain is effective for producing a corn oil.

[0018] In another aspect, a novel method of doing business comprises thesteps of buying, purchasing, or offering to buy corn grain having a highoil content for the purpose of processing the purchased grain by flakingthe grain and extracting an oil therefrom. In one embodiment, the methodincludes advertising that a facility flakes high oil corn grain.

[0019] In another aspect, the invention features an article ofmanufacture that includes packaging material, a label accompanying thepackaging material and seed corn contained within the packagingmaterial. The packaged seed corn is effective for producing grain havinga total oil content of at least about 8%. Labels associated with thearticle of manufacture indicate that the grain produced by the corn seedcan be processed by flaking the grain and extracting an oil therefrom.

[0020] Advantages of the invention include commercially feasible methodsfor extracting an oil from corn without having to steep the corn or heatthe corn to elevated temperatures. Corn oil can be extracted from wholecorn grain without having to separate the corn grain into its componentparts. The corn oil produced can be of a better quality than the oilproduced by known wet-milling methods, which currently process about50,000,000 tons of corn grain per year world wide. Dry milling, on theother hand, accounts for about 3,000,000 tons of corn grain per year.The crude oil can require fewer processing steps. Oil loss during theoil processing can be minimized. Products other than corn oil can stillbe obtained. Processing equipment used for other seed types, such assoybeans, can be utilized for multiple grains.

[0021] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms andabbreviations used herein have the same meaning as commonly understoodby one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those describedherein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention,suitable methods and materials are described below. All patents,publications and official analytical methods referred to herein areincorporated by reference in their entirety. Additional features andadvantages of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription of illustrative embodiments of the invention and from theclaims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] It has been discovered that corn oil can be rapidly andefficiently extracted on a commercial-scale from corn grain havingincreased oil content by flaking the corn grain and extracting a cornoil. Useful corn grain for the novel flaking oil processing method has atotal oil content greater than about 8%. Increases in the oil content ofcorn grain may increase flaking efficiency during processing. Suitableflaking equipment and methods include conventional flaking equipment andmethods used for flaking soybean and other similar oilseed types.Suitable extracting equipment and methods may include conventionalmethods used for extracting oil from soybean flakes and other similaroilseed types.

[0023] Oil extraction methods for seeds or grain other than corn, suchas soybeans, sunflowers, rapeseed, and canola, exclude some of theconventional corn oil processing steps. For example, preprocessing ofsoybeans for oil extraction includes drying, cracking, and aspiratingthe soybeans to separate the meats from the seed hulls. The meats arethen crushed into thin flakes by passing the meats through flakingrollers without removing the germ or embryo. Oil is then extracted fromthe flaked meats using physical or chemical extraction methods.

[0024] Corn seed or “grain” harvested from many types of corn plants areuseful in the invention. Such corn plants may be hybrids, inbreds, or apopulation. Useful grain types include, for example, flint corn,popcorn, flour corn, dent corn, white corn, and sweet corn. The graincan be in any form including whole corn, cracked corn, or otherprocessed corn or parts thereof that are amenable to flaking.

[0025] Commercial-scale methods and equipment are sufficient forextracting corn oil from at least about 100 tons of corn per day. Insome embodiments, the capacity of commercial-scale operations rangesfrom about 100 tons of corn per day to about 3000 tons of corn per day,or the capacity ranges from about 700 tons of corn per day to about 1700tons of corn per day. Commercial-scale operations that process greaterthan about 3000 tons of corn per day are also sufficient.

[0026] Useful corn grain has a total oil content greater than about 8%,which is greater than the total oil content of current commodity gradenumber 2 yellow dent corn, which has an oil content of about 3% to about5%. Additionally, the total oil content of corn grain suitable for theinvention can be, for example, grain having an oil content of at leastabout 9%, at least about 11%, at least about 12%, at least about 14%, atleast about 18%, at least about 20%, from about 8% to about 20% oil,from about 10% to about 30% oil, or from about 14% to about 30%, andvalues therebetween. Although the oil content can be determined at anymoisture content, it is acceptable to normalize the oil content to amoisture content of about 15.5%.

[0027] Corn grain having an increased total oil content can beidentified and obtained using any method. For example, corn ears can beselected using a near infrared (NIR) oil detector to select corn earshaving corn kernels with elevated oil levels or individual corn kernelscan be selected using a NIR detector. Selecting individual ears and/orkernels having an elevated oil content may not be cost effective.Preferably, corn seed producing corn plants that yield grain havingelevated total oil concentrations can be planted and harvested usingknown farming methods. Methods for developing corn inbreds, hybrids, andpopulations that generate corn plants producing grain having elevatedoil concentrations are known.

[0028] The moisture content of the corn grain can affect the flakingprocess. It may be necessary to adjust the moisture content of the corngrain to about 10% before flaking the seed. Optimizing the grainmoisture content to facilitate efficient processing is within theknowledge of those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0029] The oil content of grain, including the fat content of a mealextracted from the grain, can be determined using American Oil andChemical Society Official Method, 5th edition, March 1998, (“AOCSmethod”) Ba 3-38. AOCS method Ba 3-38 quantitates substances that areextracted by petroleum ether under conditions of the test. The oilcontent or concentration is the weight percentage of the oil withrespect to the total weight of the seed sample. Oil content may benormalized and reported at any desired moisture basis.

[0030] Unlike conventional oilseed flaking processing in which the hullcomponent of the seed is removed before flaking, pericarp components ofcorn grain need not be removed before flaking, i.e., whole corn orcracked corn can be flaked. Corn grain is flaked to any useful size. Forexample, corn grain is flaked in one or more passes through flakingrollers to produce flakes having a final thickness of about 0.01 inches(0.25 mm), although other thicknesses may also be used. Useful flakethicknesses may depend on external limiting parameters such as the oilcontent of the corn, the moisture content, the corn type, e.g., dent orflint, and the oil extractor type.

[0031] Commercial-scale oilseed flaking and oil extraction methods aswell as commercial-scale processing plants are known. In particular,suitable flaking and oil extraction methods include the methods andplants used for processing soybeans and similar oilseed types. Usefulcommercial-scale oilseed flakers can be obtained from French Oil MillMachinery Company, Piqua, Ohio USA 45456-0920, ph. (937)-773-3420;Roskamp Champion, Waterloo, Iowa; Buhler, based in Switzerland andhaving offices in Plymouth, Minn. USA; Bauermeister, Inc., Germany; andConsolidated Process Machinery Roskamp Company, on the world wide web athttp://www.cpmroskamp.com.

[0032] Corn oil is extracted from flaked grain in one or more extractionsteps using any extraction method. Preferably, substantially all the oilis extracted in a single extraction step. Useful extraction methodsinclude solvent extraction, hydraulic pressing, and expeller pressing.Useful solvents for solvent extraction can include hexane, n-hexane,isopropyl alcohol, supercritical carbon dioxide, and other similarsolvents. For example, corn oil can be extracted from flaked grain usingan n-hexane solvent extractor. Solvent extractors can include bothpercolation and immersion type extractors.

[0033] Substances exiting solvent-based extractors are referred to aswet flakes and miscella. Miscella is a mixture of extracted oil andsolvent. The wet flakes are the material that remains after some or allof the solvent-soluble material has been extracted. Wet flakes alsocontain a quantity of solvent. Solvent is reclaimed from both miscellaand wet flakes using known methods. For example, heat is applied to thewet flakes or miscella under a vacuum. Desolventized miscella isreferred to as a crude oil that may be stored and/or undergo furtherprocessing. Crude oil obtained according to the invention may be refinedto produce a final oil product. Methods for refining crude oil to obtaina final oil product are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.Crude oil isolated using the flaking methods described herein is of ahigh quality and requires fewer processing steps than is typically usedin wet milling methods for processing corn grain to obtain corn oil.

[0034] Wet flakes are desolventized, dried and sized for storage and/orsale as a corn meal using methods known to those of ordinary skill inthe art. The corn meal may also be mixed with other meal types orfeedstuffs to create a complete feed or other meal or feed types.

[0035] Corn oil or meal quality is determined by evaluating one or morequality parameters such as the oil yield, phosphorous content, freefatty acid percentage, the neutral oil loss percentage, color, meal fat,fiber percentage, starch percentage, protein content, and moisturecontent. Any method can be used to calculate one or more of the qualityparameters for evaluating the oil or meal quality.

[0036] The phosphorous concentration of crude oil can be determinedusing AOCS method Ca 12-55. AOCS method Ca 12-55 identifies thephosphorous or the equivalent phosphatide content of an oil by ashing anoil sample in the presence of zinc oxide, followed by thespectrophotometric measurement of phosphorous as a blue phosphomolybdicacid complex. AOCS method Ca 12-55 is applicable to crude, degummed andrefined vegetable oils. The phosphorous concentration is converted tophospholipid concentration, i.e., gum concentration, by multiplying thephosphorous concentration by 30.

[0037] The free fatty acid percentage of an oil can be determined usingAOCS method Ca 5a-40. AOCS method Ca 5a-40 identifies the free fattyacids existing in the oil sample. AOCS method Ca 5a-40 is applicable toall crude and refined vegetable oils, marine oils and animal fats. Theneutral oil loss during processing is determined by adding the gumpercentage and the free fatty acid percentage together.

[0038] Oil color can be determined using AOCS method Cc 13b-45. AOCSmethod Cc 13b-45 identifies the color of an oil sample by comparing theoil sample with known color characteristics. AOCS method Cc 13b-45 isapplicable to fats and oils provided no turbidity is present in thesample. Color values are quantitated by determining a red color valueand a yellow color value using the AOCS method Cc 13b-45. Typically,crude corn oil isolated using wet milling methods has a red color valueranging from about 15 to about 20 and a yellow color value ranging fromabout 70 to about 80. Typically, crude corn oil isolated using drymilling methods has a red color value ranging from about 7 to about 10and a yellow color value ranging from about 60 to about 70.

[0039] Color values are evaluated qualitatively by visual inspection ofan oil. Typically, visual inspection results in an oil being classifiedas a light oil or a dark oil compared to a known oil color. For example,it is typical for crude oils isolated using wet milling techniques to beconsidered dark brown by visual inspection whereas oils isolated usingdry milling techniques are considered lighter yellow. Corn oils isolatedusing flaking methods described herein have oil colors that arequalitatively considered light and quantitatively similar to crude cornoil color values for corn oils isolated using dry milling techniques.

[0040] Corn meal isolated using flaking methods as described herein canbe a low fat corn meal. Several important quality parameters for oilseedmeals include the fat, starch, protein, and moisture content of theresulting meal. Methods for evaluating quality parameters of oilseedmeals, including corn meals, are known.

[0041] Corn meals derived using different methods or isolated atdifferent times are compared by normalizing the meals to a commonmoisture content. The moisture content of an oilseed proteinconcentrate, such as a corn meal or whole corn, is determined using AOCSmethod Ba 2b-82. The crude fiber content of corn meal is determinedusing AOCS method Ba 6-84. AOCS method Ba 6-84 is useful for grains,meals, flours, feeds and all fiber bearing material from which the fatcan be extracted leaving a workable residue. Crude protein content ofcorn meal is determined using AOCS method Ba 4e-93. The starch contentof corn meal is determined using the Standard Analytical Methods of theMember Companies of the Corn Refiners Association Incorporated, 2dEdition, Apr. 15, 1986, method A-20 (“Corn Refiner's method A-20”).

[0042] It is to be understood that the analytical methods providedherein are illustrative examples of useful methods for computing variousquality parameters for the oils and meals described herein. Othersuitable methods are known and may be used to compute the qualityparameters disclosed and claimed herein.

[0043] Novel methods for processing corn described herein facilitate anovel method for doing business, which can include the following steps.Corn seed that is effective for developing into a corn plant thatproduces corn grain having a total oil content of at least about 8% ismade, used, sold or offered for sale. Advertisements, marketingstrategies, or other suitable promotions concerning the corn seed aredisseminated to the relevant audience. The advertisements indicate thatcorn grain harvested after planting the corn seed can be processed usingflaking techniques or methods. The advertisements can further indicatethat the flaking methods facilitate extracting a corn oil or canindicate that suitable flaking methods include methods that are used forprocessing oilseeds such as soybeans. Such a method is useful formarketing or selling corn seed to consumers in regions where oilseedprocessing plants that utilize flaking methods are physically located.The relevant audience includes farmers, seed corn dealers, oilseedprocessors, and other persons involved in the oilseed industry. Suitableadvertisements include radio and television advertisements, labels orother indicia present on packages of corn seed, promotional meetings,random or directed mailings, hand bills, and any other form ofcommunication directed to the relevant audience.

[0044] In another aspect, a novel method of doing business comprises thesteps of buying, purchasing, or offering to buy corn grain having a highoil content for the purpose of processing the purchased grain by flakingthe grain and extracting an oil therefrom. In so doing, a business mayadvertise that it is a facility that flakes high oil corn grain. Inparticular, the facility may flake corn for extracting corn oil and/orproducing corn meal.

[0045] An article of manufacture can include packaging material and seedcorn contained within the packaging material. Such seed corn produces acorn plant that yields corn grain having an oil content greater thanabout 8% which may be processed by flaking the corn grain and extractingan oil. Also included with the packaging material is a label or packageinsert that indicates that an oil can be extracted from the resultingcorn grain by flaking the corn grain and extracting an oil or describedherein. Any known packaging and printing method may be used to preparethe packaging material of the article of manufacture.

EXAMPLE 1 Processing High Oil Corn Using A Flaking Method

[0046] Shelled kernels of individual ears of yellow dent corn werescreened for a total oil content greater than about 7% oil using aPerten bulk near infrared (NIR) seed tester (TM) (model 9100-H.F) PertenInstruments, P.O. Box 7398, Reno, Nev. 89510. Kernels from the earshaving at least a 7% oil content were screened further for individualkernels having an oil content of at least 13% oil in a Brimroseseedmeister (TM) single kernel NIR tester (Brimrose Corp., Baltimore,Md.). The kernels were stored at a moisture content of about 13.5%. Atthe time of processing, the moisture content of the seed was about 10%.

[0047] A bench scale flaking apparatus containing a two inch stainlesssteel rod and plate was used to flake the whole corn grain. The wholecorn grain sample was passed through the rollers four times to obtain afinal flake thickness of about 0.01 inches. A miscella was extractedfrom the flaked corn grain using hot (60-65° C.) n-hexane and a Kimble(TM) model 585050 Soxhlet extractor. The resulting miscella and cornmeal were desolventized. The miscella was desolventized by heating themiscella to 70° C. under a vacuum of 25 inches mercury. The corn mealwas desolventized according to AOCS method Ba 2a-38.

[0048] The total recovered oil was determined to be 14.74% of the wholecorn grain sample. The phosphorus content of the desolventized crude oilwas determined to be 365 parts per million (ppm) using AOCS method Ca12-55. The phospholipid concentration was determined to be 1.095%(0.0365%* 30). The free fatty acid content was determined to be 0.2%using AOCS method Ca 5a-40. The neutral oil loss during processing wasdetermined to be 1.3% (1.095%+0.2%). Using the same methods, crude oilextracted from normal, i.e., 3-4% total oil content, corn grain usingconventional wet milling methods can be expected to have a phosphorouscontent from about 600 ppm to about 800 ppm, a free fatty acidconcentration from about 0.5% to about 1.0 percent, and a neutral oilloss during processing ranging from about 3% to about 4%.

[0049] The color of the crude oil was visually evaluated and determinedto be a light yellow color compared to a crude oil isolated usingconventional wet milling methods, which was a dark brown color.

[0050] The desolventized corn meal was characterized using AOCS methodsBa 3-38, Ba 2b-82, Ba 6-84, and Ba 4e-93, and Corn Refiner's MethodA-20. When normalized to a 10% moisture content, the corn meal had a3.2% fiber content, a 65% starch content, and a 14% protein content.Meal fat was determined to be 1.07% using AOCS method 3-38. Forcomparison, corn gluten feed created using conventional wet millingmethods and normalized to a 10% moisture content can be expected tocontain an oil content of about 4%, a protein content of about 20%, anda fiber and other carbohydrate content of about 60%. Also forcomparison, corn gluten meal created using conventional wet millingmethods and normalized to a 10% moisture content can be expected tocontain an oil content of about 3%, a protein content of about 60%, anda fiber and other carbohydrate content of about 22%.

[0051] To the extent not already indicated, it also will be understoodby those of ordinary skill in the art that any one of the variousspecific embodiments herein described and illustrated may be furthermodified to incorporate features shown in other of the specificembodiments.

[0052] The foregoing detailed description has been provided for a betterunderstanding of the invention only and no unnecessary limitation shouldbe understood therefrom as some modification will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art without deviating from the spirit and scope of theappended claims. As such, other aspects, advantages, and modificationsare within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for processing corn grain comprising thesteps of: a) flaking corn grain; and b) extracting an oil from saidflaked corn grain, said corn grain having a total oil content of atleast about 8%.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said corn grain iswhole corn grain.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein said corn grain is acracked corn grain.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said corn grain hasa total oil content of at least about 14%.
 5. The method of claim 1wherein said corn grain has a total oil content of at least about 12%.6. The method of claim 1 wherein said corn grain has a total oil contentof at least about 10%.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said corn grainhas a total oil content from about 12% to about 30%.
 8. The method ofclaim 1 wherein said extracting step comprises pressing said flaked corngrain.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein said extracting step comprisessolvent-based oil extraction of said flaked corn grain.
 10. The methodof claim 9 wherein said solvent is selected from the group consisting ofhexane, n-hexane, isopropyl alcohol, and supercritical carbon dioxide.11. The method of claim 9 wherein said solvent comprises n-hexane. 12.The method of claim 9 wherein said extracting step produces a miscellaand a corn meal.
 13. The method of claim 12 wherein said corn mealcomprises a fiber content of about 3%, a starch content of about 65%,and a protein content of about 14%, at a moisture content of about 10%.14. The method of claim 12 wherein said corn meal comprises a fibercontent of about 3%, and a protein content of about 14%, at a moisturecontent of about 10%.
 15. The method of claim 12 wherein said corn mealcomprises a fiber content of at least about 3%, at a moisture content ofabout 10%.
 16. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step ofdesolventizing said miscella to produce a corn oil.
 17. The method ofclaim 16 wherein said corn oil has a phosphorous content of less thanabout 500 parts per million.
 18. The method of claim 16 wherein saidcorn oil has a free fatty acid content of less than about 0.3%.
 19. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said corn oil has a neutral oil loss of lessthan about 2%.
 20. The method of claim 1 wherein said corn oil has alight yellow color.
 21. The method of claim 16 wherein said corn oil hasa yellow color value ranging from about 60 to about 70 and a red colorvalue ranging from about 7 to about 10, as determined by American Oiland Chemical Society method Cc 13b-93.
 22. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid method is effective for processing at least about 100 tons of cornper day.
 23. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is effective forprocessing from about 100 tons of corn per day to about 3,000 tons ofcorn per day.
 24. A method of selling corn seed comprising the steps of:a) offering corn seed for sale, said corn seed effective for producingcorn grain having a total oil content of at least about 8%; and b)advertising that said corn grain may be processed by flaking said corngrain.
 25. The method of claim 24 wherein step (b) further comprisesadvertising that said flaking of said corn grain is effective forproducing a corn oil.
 26. An article of manufacture comprising packagingmaterial a label accompanying said packaging material and seed corncontained within said packaging material, wherein said seed corn iseffective for producing grain having a total oil content of at leastabout 8% and wherein said label indicates that said grain can beprocessed by flaking said grain and extracting an oil therefrom.